GETTING TO KNOW YOU
Getting to Know
Dr Jenny Brockis
Dr Jenny Brockis and the science
of high performance thinking.
We are moving from the
Information Age into the Thinking
Age, which means it’s not what
we know, but how we think that
matters. Rapid technological
advance is changing how we the
ways we live, work and play.
Our potential is massive, if
we choose to use our brains
the way they were designed.
Forward thinking businesses and
organisations know that their
future success will require more
than technology and expertise
alone, they need to tap into their
greatest and most valuable asset
- the minds of those who work for
them.
This is where the brain science
can help - validating what has
been shown to really work to build
motivation, passion and drive.
Jenny, what inspired you to
start your business? What
are your goals and values?
As a doctor I’ve always been
curious about human behaviour.
The advent of the new brain
science is completely fascinating
to me because it helps us to
make sense of why we think and
behave the way we do and has also
showed so much of what we used
to think about the human brain was
wrong!
My worry is that we haven’t got the
balance right yet of how to use our
amazing new technology without it
completely taking over our lives.
16 ModernBusiness
January 2016
My concern too is for our health
and wellbeing. Stress levels,
rates of mental illness are
skyrocketing despite so many new
medical advances and access to
information. Again it comes back
to balance, determining how much
we really need to know and making
wise choices about how we choose
to live our lives remembering that
we are human with physiological
needs.
Eating healthily, doing some
exercise, getting enough sleep,
managing our stress – it’s not
rocket science yet we look for ways
to circumvent these basic needs,
thinking that’s the smart thing
to do. My wish is to see greater
understanding of the need for brain
health, and a cultural shift towards
personal accountability of our own
health and wellbeing. This will
come from greater brain awareness
– understanding how the human
brain is designed to operate at its
best.
Treating people as we would
like to be treated is such a basic
premise; yet hard to manage
when we are under the pump.
Having the skills to manage the
pressure cooker of life and work is
paramount to leading happier more
fulfilled lives.
I’ve always said I want to make
brain fitness as normal and well
understood as Jamie Oliver has
made healthy eating and that’s
what drives me to get out of bed in
the morning.
My goal is to have brain health
as part of the normal school
curriculum starting in Primary
School. Helping our kids to learn
more about how their brains work,
how to manage those times when
things don’t turn out right, how to
make friends and look after each
other, means we will then be well
on our way to building a society
that is people focused, where
communities and workplaces care
for others, and lead happy purpose
driven lives.
It may sound a bit airy-fairy, but
it’s about increasing tolerance,
celebrating diversity, individual
uniqueness and creating a kinder
world.
What was the driving force
behind your decision to
specialise in this area of
business?
The more I delved into the
research and neuroscience, the
more I came to realise that our
current medical model that focuses
on the outcome of illness and
disease is flawed. Both doctors
and media have been commenting
on the rising burden and cost of
chronic and complex medical
conditions. It seemed obvious
that preventing disease is far
preferable, which would have to
come from education, insight and
behavioural change.
The research is very clear, brain
health matters at all ages, so while
addressing some of the concerns
of the elderly around preventing
memory loss and cognitive decline